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Well, in my recent adventures in horse shopping land, I did collect a few favorites....
* Event prospect (from a jumper barn) = Won't jump the big sticks, but can be ridden in a snaffle without killing you. Inside, at least.
* Event prospect (from a dressage barn) = Won't go FEI, but can be hacked out without killing you. Up and down the driveway, at least.
* Event prospect (from a hunter barn) = doesn't seem to understand changes, but you people don't care about that sort of thing, right?
* Event prospect (from a foxhunting barn) = good looking, likes to jump, but "not a cocktail horse" (translation - cannot go hunting on this horse while drinking a martini and smoking a cigarette).
I bought that one.

As the OP of that other thread, I feel compelled to mention... the video shows that the horse has SOME level of flexion (watch carefully when he turns the corner at the walk), and the ad strongly emphasized he was sound on his old osselets, so I made that assumption, as did at least one other person who posted on that thread. I also mentioned I thought he looked a bit sore on the concrete. Already having concerns about future soundness (it's why I started the thread), his ankles are something I would have checked out carefully. I still might go have a look at him if he is still available; he's only an hour from me.

As the OP of that other thread, I feel compelled to mention... the video shows that the horse has SOME level of flexion (watch carefully when he turns the corner at the walk), and the ad strongly emphasized he was sound on his old osselets, so I made that assumption, as did at least one other person who posted on that thread. I also mentioned I thought he looked a bit sore on the concrete. Already having concerns about future soundness (it's why I started the thread), his ankles are something I would have checked out carefully. I still might go have a look at him if he is still available; he's only an hour from me.

I'm of the view that not everything put into a sales ad means what it says. In this case...I'd go look at the horse in person, if I liked him, have him vetted starting with his ankles and le a professional vet tell me if the ankles look like a problem for my intended purposes with the horse.

I take that view with ALL horses and ads...in other words, I don't really care what the ads say. Of course I haven't looked at a horse in an ad in years....typically find horses from people or dealers that I personally know. I'm usually buying green....so go off my own eyes and PPE anyway. Of course the latest horse I didn't vet but then she was a free not yet 3 year old who I watched move sound. She's going out with my homebred 3 year old....and I consider them both the same level of risk but one has cost me more already (in breeding/vet costs and housing since she was born)

** Tact is the ability to tell someone to go to hell in such a way that they look forward to the trip. ~Winston Churchill? **

Mild arthritis in ankle, should not cause any problems (current ad) = I spent over $850 to vet check this horse and the vet found SEVERE arthritis

Mild arthritis discovered during routine check-up (current ad) = discovered during a very expensive PPE in which the vet explicitly told the rescue no jumping (and even did pro-bono rads of the other ankle for them)

Would make great hunter/jumper or novice eventer (current ad) = has never gone over a cross-rail in it's life; vet specifically explicitly said NOT recommenced for jumping of any kind

Good children's prospect = so hot can barely handle a flat walk, but nice ground manners (I supposed the child will only want to brush his tail, never ride)

Extensively re-trained from track = has been lounged once or twice in side reins and/or been hacked in an arena a few times by a seventeen year old volunteer who only works Saturdays

May need a little chiropractic adjustment or something = dead lame, no idea why and not inclined to find out

Reasonably priced, call to inquire = $10-20k

Just a little foot sore, it's probably the footing (awkward laugh) = dead lame, no idea why and not inclined to find out

Has a minor bucking problem, but it only happens 1 out of 4 times he's ridden (Oh, and I'm too scared to ride him but since you've driven 2.5 hours I'm sure you'll want to hop on) = saddle up, bronc riders, it's gonna be a wild ride! (also, am positive horse had pain and poorly fit saddle)

steady = very, very slow
lazy = its a nappy SOB and no one can get it to leave the center of the ring
more whoa than go = lazy, see above
more go than whoa = hahaha, have fun
owner unable to ride = because the horse has killed her
requires experienced rider = nuts. Totally nutting fucks.
beginner friendly = its lazy (see above), its too old to care, or its too lame to buck anyone off anymore
pretty = pretty useless
elegant = you can dump all the feed into it you want, it'll never hold weight
show quality = don't ever take it out of the ring. Ever.
home bred = I bred the devil, please make it go away now
has pony moments = it will be a saint one moment and the devil the next

Some "low end" horse shopping with a friend led us to compile the following list:

"Hunter prospect" = a green horse that is pretty.
"Eventing prospect" = big green horse that seemed happy when they put it over a cross rail.
"Fox hunting prospect" = really big hairy horse that seemed happy when they put it over a cross rail.
"Dressage prospect" = big green horse that freaked out when they put it over a cross rail.
"Jumper prospect" = jumps out of its paddock on a regular basis.
"10++++ mover!!!" = looks really pretty when it's running away from you when you are trying to catch it.
"Athletic" = bucks like a SOB.
"Scopey!!" = jumps out if the paddock on a regular basis.
"Totally bombproof!!!" depends on age: older horse = close to 30; middle aged horse = dead lame; young horse = half starved.
"Always in the ribbons!!" = I showed it in 2 divisions at the local saddle club against 4 other horses.
"Make up the way you want!" = I haven't done a goddamn thing with this horse.
"Needs a confident rider" = dirty stopper.

Any ad that is <150 words and uses up most of them to say how good the horse is in the crossties/ for the farrier/ for the vet/ loves peppermints = I haven't done a goddamn thing with this horse.

Asterix, I love your "cocktail horse" description! From now on, that's the question to ask the seller: "Can I smoke a cigarette and drink a martini while on board him/her?"
I confess, I finished up my cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee the other day walking my horse through the pasture to the dressage ring. Does that qualify him as a "hangover horse?"

Some "low end" horse shopping with a friend led us to compile the following list:

"Hunter prospect" = a green horse that is pretty.
"Eventing prospect" = big green horse that seemed happy when they put it over a cross rail.
"Fox hunting prospect" = really big hairy horse that seemed happy when they put it over a cross rail.
"Dressage prospect" = big green horse that freaked out when they put it over a cross rail.
"Jumper prospect" = jumps out of its paddock on a regular basis.
"10++++ mover!!!" = looks really pretty when it's running away from you when you are trying to catch it.
"Athletic" = bucks like a SOB.
"Scopey!!" = jumps out if the paddock on a regular basis.
"Totally bombproof!!!" depends on age: older horse = close to 30; middle aged horse = dead lame; young horse = half starved.
"Always in the ribbons!!" = I showed it in 2 divisions at the local saddle club against 4 other horses.
"Make up the way you want!" = I haven't done a goddamn thing with this horse.
"Needs a confident rider" = dirty stopper.

Any ad that is <150 words and uses up most of them to say how good the horse is in the crossties/ for the farrier/ for the vet/ loves peppermints = I haven't done a goddamn thing with this horse.

Asterix, I love your "cocktail horse" description! From now on, that's the question to ask the seller: "Can I smoke a cigarette and drink a martini while on board him/her?"
I confess, I finished up my cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee the other day walking my horse through the pasture to the dressage ring. Does that qualify him as a "hangover horse?"

I do think the hangover horse is a highly underrated horse!
I can't take credit for the "not a cocktail horse" -- that is how he was described by the foxhunter barn he came from -- but I agree it is awesome!